1881 - January 31 - A Mother's Fatal Error.

ALTONA, N.Y., Jan. 31. - Mrs Barcomb, of Mooers, locked her four children, the eldest being but seven years of age, in the house on Friday evening, while she went to the store for kerosene. After making the purchase and staring for home she discovered that her house was on fire. Help was immediately summoned, but on opening the door the flames rushed out so that it was impossible to enter. The charred remains of the little ones were found in a heap, and in such a position that one might suppose that they had taken refuge under the bed. The cause of the fire is not known, but it is supposed to have been the explosion of a lamp.